Thursday, December 31, 2009

So, I've been so busy building hand planes for everyone else that I haven't built one for myself yet. I glued up some scraps of paulownia I had leftover w/ stringers of red cedar and mahogany. After the outline was cut out and the hand plane was shaped I added channels. I'm going to take this down to PR the next time I go.

Here is paulownia hand plane #6. It has a light concave in the bottom for enhanced lift. Coated w/ a linseed oil bees wax mix. I left this one a little thicker @ about 3/4" hopefully for added buoyancy. I have this one up for sale on my Etsy site here.

Here is #2. This is a cut through handle design. I think I am liking the surface mount handles better, but there is something earthy & "green" about not adding nylon strapping. I cut a nice concave in the bottom of this to try to achieve some lift while bodysurfing.

Here is the first of many hand planes I've been working on. It's made from paulownia scrap that I didn't want to discard from making the alaias. It has a flat top rolled bottom and an adjustable hand strap. I coated it in the same linseed oil and bees wax solution the I've been using on the alaias. This one is going to Richard Tator of the OLC for a Xmas present.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

To finish the boards I'm using a linseed oil and bees wax solution that I melt down and mix together. Most guys are using just one coat b/c paulownia is salt water resistant. Buuut, I believe in overkill, so I do 2.

For the final sanding of the Alaias I go through a few grits of paper. I start w/ 100 grit to knock down the hard edges on the rails and add the concave in the back. Then I smooth everything out w/ 150 grit, and finally 220.

The 6' Alaia for an Xmas present and the shop Alaia have been templated and cut out. 1st step was to clean up the blanks, so I planed down the high spots w/ an old block plane that I have. Then I put a piece of masonite down that I have cut to the exact size template I want and draw it on the blanks. Then I cut them out w/ a jig saw.

Got the shop alaia and paipo glued up the other day. Went with a stringer effect in both of them to see how it works. The alaia has 2 cedar stringers running through it, and the paipo has a cedar and paulownia t-band.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

As I woke up this afternoon from my fever induced coma, I found myself on the Cape May Lewis Ferry on the Delaware side. About a 1/2 drive was ahead of me and the Wu dog. We finally arrived @ Chesapeake Woodworkers Sales in Millboro, De. The guys were more than helpful and showed me around the shop and lumber yard. I found lots of exotic wood species and the wood I came for Royal Paulownia. I want to thank everyone there and if you are interested in buying Royal Paulownia look Chesapeake Woodworkers Sales up on the web @ www.Cheswoodsales.com .

Thanks to them I'll be able to finish another Alaia project for a client before Xmas.